<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Self-Induced Shopping by Nocturnal_Daydreams</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28761264">Self-Induced Shopping</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocturnal_Daydreams/pseuds/Nocturnal_Daydreams'>Nocturnal_Daydreams</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Critical Role (Web Series)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, Pining, Pining Caleb Widogast, Pining Jester Lavorre, Shopping, Tooth-Rotting Fluff</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 05:00:31</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,058</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28761264</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nocturnal_Daydreams/pseuds/Nocturnal_Daydreams</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This sounds like it's candy-floss/cotton-candy amounts of fluff where you just watch Caleb flail about how pretty Jester is<br/>And that's because it is</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Jester Lavorre/Caleb Widogast</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>47</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Self-Induced Shopping</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Shopping with a pretty friend was hard.</p><p>Shopping with the prettiest person who happened to be a dear friend and the girl he was irrevocably in love with was self induced torture.</p><p>They’d been through the ringer and were back to some normality in relaxing in a city for a while before they set off again. They were in a new city and it looked like a beautiful stewing pot of many cultures they knew and even more cultures they didn’t but its own shone through. A speciality in yellow dyes, structured clothing such as corsets and handheld foods seemed to be their biggest assets.</p><p>Obviously it was an ideal retreat for Jester. She had been raring to go around and his own interest in the undeniably beautiful city excused his inability to refuse her anything in the world.  The rest seemed to make excuses for themselves – Beau and Yasha were disappearing by themselves for the day to ‘train’, Fjord and Caduceus were going to a Wildmother temple. Veth had the Brenattos over upon request and had joined Jester and Caleb for a good portion of sightseeing. Half the day the group went about doing anything and everything they could but as the Brenattos turned to the theatre, Caleb and Jester turned to shopping.</p><p>Veth smirked when Jester hadn’t even asked and had only pulled Caleb away bidding their goodbyes. Either she was wanting time alone with her family or knew something she hadn’t known before but seemed to himself like he was being obvious. </p><p>Her arm didn’t unwind from him as they walked along so he tried and failed to push his blush down.</p><p>“Come on, Cay-leb.” She extended her words on purpose and he kept up with her. He wondered why she wanted him there for her shopping, although he had plenty of it he wanted to do that he knew she would love to go with him to do. He pushed his more elaborate wonderings back down.</p><p>“Okay, where first?”</p><p>“Correct answer!” She exclaimed, beaming. How that smile made him breathless, nearly catching him off-guard as she pulled him down another street to a much more open street where mannequins lay everywhere, “I can’t leave all these beautiful dresses here without giving even one of them a home! Let’s go.”</p><p>For all his smitten willingness he couldn’t not tease her, “Wait!” </p><p>She stopped still and he let go of her, taking a bobble from his pocket and putting his hair up into a ponytail on the last twist slipping it into a bun, ignoring his brain fooling him about her smile falling when he let go but slipping their arms together again all the same. He gave a nod and off they went in.</p><p>The whole place with stocked with materials and kits and full outfits. His eyes immediately fell on her as he she gasped, in awe as she took it all in. She grinned at him after a few moments and he was the one holding her in place, she watched him expectedly. He looked at her confused and looked over the shop, finally releasing her arm but it wasn’t until he looked at her again that she darted off.  </p><p>Hells, he had it bad. </p><p>She weaved in and out, first looking at materials and waving him over at different parts. He ushered her on, waiting for her to stop looking back before he went to the section he had spotted.</p><p>She was halfway across the shop and fumbling over very high up materials as he went to the jewellery counter.</p><p>“I see you have horn jewellery. Could I look at your selection and jewellery cleaning utensils?” He asked softly, still keeping his eyes out in case the mischievous tiefling rounded the corner.</p><p>Jester in the meantime was looking over plentiful of materials. Silks, linen, cotton, wool yarns in the corner. Petticoats and corsets down the barebones in certain parts of the room. She was in heaven. She asked a cashier to look over plenty of the materials and then some outfits but she was soon burdened with choices. Where was that silly ginger wizard? She began to look for him, promising to be back momentarily when he appeared behind her.</p><p>“Jester? What are you doing?”</p><p>“Looking for you. I need your help.” She replied obviously and headed back to the assistant. </p><p>“How can I help, bl…Jester?” He asked, tripping over nearly saying blueberry for the dozenth time in as many days.</p><p>“There are so many pretty materials and corsets and circles skirts and Caleb, I’m lost.” </p><p>“Okay, you could…do it all once though, ja?”</p><p>“Oh, Zemnian are you? We have dirndls.” The assistant offered.</p><p>“I am, she is not.” He replied but she was already looking at him with wide excited eyes.</p><p>“Ja, yep. Dirndl, I would like to look at them please!” She enthused waiting until the man was gone before she asked Caleb, her eyes still on him and ablaze, “What’s a dirndl?”</p><p>He was going to tell her to wait but he thought he might as well, “It’s an outfit. A bodice, a skirt, a blouse under and a usually fancy apron. It’s traditional Zemnian attire but some of its been modernised and got more popular.”</p><p>He watched as her excitement turned to joy and she bounced on her heels, biting her lip. He needed to blink a few times before he relaxed.</p><p>“Really?”</p><p>“I have no reason to lie to you.” He smiled so heartfelt and for a moment she wondered if he was teasing her and if her heart was betraying her. She trusted him all the same. </p><p>In the assistant, a Mr Machen, came with a black dirndl with gold embroidery decorating the bodice and the skirt, a flowy white shirt poking out and Jester let an eep of excitement out. Caleb couldn’t hold back his blushes and put his head in one hand trying to calm himself as she went with a different assistant to try it on. He was focusing on reading one of the books in his holster when she came out.</p><p>The dress looked lovely on her and she looked so ridiculously pretty he dropped his book. He picked it back up.</p><p>“What do you think?” She asked, happy but something was off. He knew what.</p><p>“Well the dress looks beautiful on you but it lacks something. I think it’s the black.”</p><p>“You thought so too?” </p><p>She changed and they looked at a few of them, a green and a light blue took her eye. Then she spotted one she knew she had to try. She didn’t show him, didn’t tell him just told him to close his eyes trust her to walk him to the waiting area. He looked her in the eye to check she was serious then without hesitation closed his eyes and held his hand forward. Jester took his hand and for his show of trust almost kissed him. This wasn’t the time or place and Caleb was lovely and loving but he just had a soft spot for her, not in that way.</p><p>Caleb inside was screaming to open his eyes or to hear her voice, he trusted her more than the world but he was starting to wonder if her excitement for shopping here was breaking down too many walls and giving everything away when he wasn’t sure he was brave enough yet.</p><p>She guided him and he sat and waited a long time before she said. “Okay, Cay-leb, open your eyes.”</p><p>He did and the sight the beheld him was undeniable in beauty.</p><p>Jester looked proud but nervous but most importantly overjoyed. The blue skin contrasted with the white half sleeve bell sleeves of the button up she wore. The rose gold dress looked like someone had made it for her. It was hard to tell that it was actually muted pink with subtle gold threads shone a barely viewable pattern in the dress when in the line of light. A shimmering gold apron had a layer of lace on top and swung with the swing of Jester’s hips as she twirled he almost hadn’t spotted the wildflowers in amber and gold were embroidered into the apron. She held it forward after her spin though and knowing what it meant to him nearly overwhelmed him with emotion. She knew amber was his colour and she wanted to involve him in parts of her dress like how she’d involved bees in her winter coat, it meant the world to him.</p><p>“Amber like you, Caleb.”</p><p>He nodded, he couldn’t talk without crying. He tried anyway, “Ah, ja. Ja, I see.”</p><p>Tears started to escape and he wiped them away quickly. She smiled, knew he didn’t want to talk about it but squeezed his hand quickly then twirled once more with a grin. She asked, “So what do you think?”</p><p>“I think it looks beautiful on you, blueberry.” He said, not even needing to think.</p><p>She smiled at him using the barely used nickname, she loved to hear it but he had only ever said it high and didn’t talk about it. He thought it looked beautiful on her, a deep purple blush painted her cheeks. Good, she thought so too. A question played on her mind so she let it loose, “What about me, Caleb?”</p><p>She half meant it as a tease but part of her noticed he’d said the dresses both times. He blinked in confusion and still managed to speak with his brain turned off, “You’re always beautiful.”</p><p>Both of them seemed to realise what he said at the same time. Their eyes met and smiles faded into shock. They were breathless. Silence rocked the room. </p><p>Both assistants went unnoticed as they creeped out into a separate area to avoid whatever oddness that was.</p><p>“You think so?”</p><p>“I…Well…Ah… Ja. Jester, you know you’re stunning.”</p><p>Her shock turned into a sweet, warmed smile and then a smirk as he answered. She replied, “I don’t know if I would say stunning but thank you. Beautiful blueberry maybe. I like that nickname, blueberry.”</p><p>Now it was his turn for his expression to switch from shock and fear to an enamoured soft smile, “Ja?”</p><p>“Ja.” She spun again and again, light laughter like soft music in the air. She turned again, “I love it, so much.”</p><p>It was then they noticed the absence of assistants and Caleb found one not long after, “Sir, how much for the dress?”</p><p>“It’s a platinum sir.” She began to head back to the dressing room but heard Caleb’s bag-wallet tinkle a little. She turned.</p><p>“Do you want to leave wearing it, blueberry?”</p><p>She bit a lip as she decided, “No. I would like more embroidery on my sleeves and my collar of the shirt and I saw a few of the aprons had small …gems on. I would like a few of those on these bits of lace. Plus I have a commission for a patchwork cloak I would like to discuss.”</p><p>The assistant kept their poker-face barely as they said, “Of course ma’am, we will discussed when you are changed.”</p><p>She came out in her previous dress and stood beside Caleb, “Do you think I spend too much on dresses?”</p><p>“Honestly? Poor me would say yes. But in proportion to what we earn, no. You spend too much on saving our lives.” He answered and she felt her heart tug before he added, “Plus we are all allowed our vices.”</p><p>This interested her, “What’s yours?”</p><p>He looked at her so intensely for a moment that her brain blanked before he frowned, thinking, “Components. I need some, yes, but I buy many to experiment. Also, presents. Speaking of which.”</p><p>He reached into the inside pocket and pulled out a brown paper bag handing it over.</p><p>She looked at it for the mystery it was, she opened it, carefully, scared something would break. It was rather odd because it wasn’t a big bag. She reached her hand in and felt something cold. A warm coloured gold band, big enough for the start of her horn. Again she rummaged and brought out horn jewellery, soft gold chains that she often looked at, horn tips and a few charms. She had silver and liked silver but often mentioned she couldn’t change up when she liked. He’d remembered. Of course he remembered, he was Caleb and how he looked at her right now; maybe she’d been playing denial too long. Some were long chains just around the horns others attached to earrings. She placed one on, a golden crescent moon on her helix and wrapped the chain around her horn.</p><p>“You got me the moon.” She stated, grinning.</p><p>“Well, I knew you’d want it.” He wasn’t smiling but she saw the smile in his eyes. She felt like they kept a secret when he did that. They did at the moment.</p><p>She looked through the bag. “Are there more charms to buy? Wait! Woah, Caleb, you must have spent a lot! There’s so much! But you’re always so broke?”</p><p>“Well, you are… worth it.” Caleb replied and kept walking to the charm counter. Jester was left in his wake. Once it sunk in she caught up and slipped a hand into his as she looked and picked ones. </p><p>“You know I meant nothing about your money spending, especially since I take care of yours sometimes.”</p><p>“Ja, I do. Plus, we are flush, ja? With rewards.”</p><p>“Good, cos you are worth it too. Components are on me.” She replied and continued looking at charms. He let her words knock down the last of his walls as he shamelessly watched her and she bought more charms. He had bought a moon as well as a moon earring, a cat charm for Frumpkin and a compass charm. She bought a piece of amber, a music note, a feather and what looked like a slice of cake. She even made him choose which piece of amber of the ones in front of them. Was his heart bursting or shattering? It all depended if he was reading the situation wrong. They talked about embroidery with the clerk, she pointed at the stones that complimented the colours she wanted in and discussed a green patchwork cloak – a smirk played on his face, that was bound to happen. But his brain was stuck at the start of that request. On the shirt, embroider yellow bumblebees, wildflowers, green ferns, a sneaky phallic object and amber and golden dragonflies. Her eyes shone as they agreed to the commission just like they were now as she was picking out materials. His heart was going a mile a minute. She kept looking at him. </p><p>“Hi…” He said, trying to remember anything.</p><p>“Hey…we are done here. Want to go to the components shop? Or the bakery? Or both?”</p><p>“Ja, ja.” He replied and in another act of not thinking reached out for her hand. She took it before his brain clocked on and they made their way out. They wondered 10 minutes in comfortable silence, ignoring the fact they couldn’t remember where either the components shop or bakery was. They couldn’t even focus, the warmth of each others hands and the sparks between them were far, far too distracting. </p><p>“Caleb?”</p><p>“Ja, Jester?”</p><p>“Could you put on this charm?”</p><p>“Of course.” He turned to her and she placed the amber piece in his hand. His eyes smiled before his lips turned upwards and she grinned. He tilted her chin up and looked for a loop. With far more focus than needed he gingerly placed it a chain ring. His hands dropped and they were so close it scared him a little but he stayed still, her chin still tilted and he was still tilted down to her - he could almost fool himself. With everything that had just happened he could maybe just about believe she was in love with him too.</p><p>His hand tucked underneath her chin to gently guide it back down and find a mirror to show her the beautiful charms on her; but as his hand reached her chin, she rose up on her tiptoes crossing over halfway and her eyelids fluttered closed. He hadn’t been fooling himself or reading to into it and he might ruin it if he thought for too long and made her think he wanted to do anything other than…he kissed her. Her hand was around his neck as soon as their lips connected and shocking sparks ran through him, he held her close and kissed her passionately as she did him. His mind blanked and all he could do was feel how kissing her made him feel, elated. He pressed sweet, tender kisses as they wound down and took it in.</p><p>It was Jester’s turn to stutter and stumble, “I…wow…Caleb… I hope I didn’t get the wrong ide…”</p><p>“I love you, Jester.” He said, simply, a smitten grin shining across his face, an expression Jester thought should always be there, it suited him well.</p><p>“I love you too, Caleb.” She replied, biting her lip and holding the arm that was holding her. She had a glow about her that made Caleb realise that he had made her glow like that and his heart brimmed with pride. “What do we do now?”</p><p>“We find out where we are and where the bakery is and then head back. Then later we could go for a meal where I could ask you if you would like to be my girlfriend?”</p><p>“Way to spoil the surprise.”</p><p>“The sheer amount of pastries I would buy as bribes would give it away I’m afraid.”</p><p>“What if we skip all that meal? What if you ask me now?”</p><p>“I would love to take you on date though.” He admitted.</p><p>“And I would love to be on a date. But I don’t have the patience Cay-leb.” She moaned, extending the words, the grin never leaving her face though.</p><p>“Fine, fine. Jester Lavorre, would you be my girlfriend?” </p><p>“Why of course, Caleb Widogast.”</p><p>They went for another sweet, soft and slow kiss and for moments after were stuck in a bubble of a moment, just them, taking each other and these moments in. Then they decided to actually look for the bakery.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>The alternate name for this was Shipping for Simps<br/>I stand by that decision<br/>BUT<br/>This is my late birthday present to self and early present of welcoming back Critical Role after the winter holidays</p><p>Anyway<br/>I hope you like the story</p></blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>